Piston Aircraft

Automobiles with gull-wing doors are rare. For me, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL immediately comes to mind. Aircraft with gull-wing doors—such as the Cessna TTx and Socata Trinidad—are even rarer still, so when I first saw the Pipistrel Panthera from a distance at Chicago’s Waukegan National Airport (KUGN), I knew this airplane was something special. The company’s […]

In April 2020, the world was fully starting to feel the effects of the exploding COVID-19 pandemic, with lockdowns around the globe causing both the airline industry and business aviation to abruptly come to a halt. For the preowned business aircraft market, that meant listings skyrocketed while closed transactions all but evaporated. A new report […]

The ultimate goal? An unleaded drop-in replacement for 100LL, the avgas we use to power a large percentage of the general aviation fleet—and particularly one that serves the roughly one-third of piston airplanes that require at least 100 octane fuel. However, achieving that goal has been elusive, based in part on three factors. First, a […]

It is often said that a first-time airplane buyer should buy his or her last airplane first. The reasoning is, it makes little sense to invest in an airplane the pilot will outgrow or become bored with. A more expensive option may, in fact, prove to be a better long-term value by serving as a […]

Pete Bunce said, “While the year started off strong, the health and safety restrictions put in place to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic began to significantly impact global operations, supply chains and deliveries towards the end of the first quarter.” Bunce’s remarks were part of the General Aviation Manufacturing Association’s report of first-quarter aircraft shipments—Bunce […]

Tecnam announced a new version of its P2010 4-seat, single-engine airplane, with a new Continental CD-170 diesel engine, ready for certification by EASA. The 170 hp engine builds on the success Continental has had with the previous -135 and -155 hp models of its liquid-cooled, turbocharged, fadec-operated diesel engine series. The type certificate is expected […]